Longview, TX Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Gap limit
- No 4-inch sphere may pass
- Gate hardware
- Self-closing and self-latching required
- Covered facilities
- Public aquatic facilities, not private homes
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor plus permit suspension/closure
Summary
Longview requires every permitted pool and spa enclosure to stay secured at all times, with self-closing, self-latching gates and no gap wide enough for a four-inch sphere, so a child can't wander in unsupervised.
Secured means that an enclosure during normal operation is maintained so that all gates and entrances are maintained closed with functioning self-latching and self-closing mechanisms, and that the enclosure is not allowed to maintain gaps large enough to allow the passage of a four-inch sphere or provide any feature that may be climbed by a child to gain access to the aquatic facility.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: June 2026: This code is current through Ordinances 4635 passed 06.25.26).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 19-131 defines a "secured" enclosure as one where every gate and entrance stays closed on functioning self-latching, self-closing hardware, with no gap large enough to pass a four-inch sphere and no climbable feature. Sec. 19-142(e)(24) repeats the self-closing/self-latching gate mandate as a minimum inspection standard, and Sec. 19-146(e) makes it a separate offense to let an enclosure sit unsecured, even during repairs. The article applies to permitted "public aquatic facilities", apartment, hotel, HOA, and other pools used by more than one household, not to a fence around a private single-family backyard pool, which falls under separately adopted state and building-code rules not reproduced in this chapter.
Violations & Fines
Violating the article, including an unsecured or non-self-latching gate, is a misdemeanor under Sec. 19-155, plus permit suspension, revocation, or immediate closure under Sec. 19-156.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my private backyard pool at home need this fence?
How big a gap is allowed in a Longview pool gate or fence?
What happens if an inspector finds a gate that won't self-latch?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Longview
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Longview to another location·View the Texas swimming pools & spas overview
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